It took all of Grace’s strength not to burst into tears when she saw Pat lying on the hospital bed with tubes sticking out of him. His hands and head were bandaged but she could see the dried blood and bruising which covered the skin that was exposed.

‘God, Pat, you had us worried for a minute then. Anything for a few days off, eh?’ she said jovially.

He winced as he tried to smile and her heart almost broke. Sitting down in the chair beside his bed, she gently placed her hand over his bandaged one. ‘You’re the toughest man I know, Pat Carter. But I’m going to make him pay for this. Do you hear me?’

Pat closed his eyes and she knew he was fighting sleep. Standing up, she kissed him gently on the forehead. ‘Get some rest now, I’ll see you tomorrow.’

Grace and Michael drove back to the Rose and Crown in silence while Sean followed in his car. It wasn’t until they were safely inside the pub and Grace had poured them all a generous brandy that they dared to mention the state they’d just seen Patrick in.

‘Those bastards cut two of his fingers off,’ Michael shouted. ‘Smashed his kneecaps. Broke almost every bone in his body.’

‘We know,’ Sean said. ‘We were there too.’

Sean’s phone rang. It was his wife, Sophia. He spoke to her in hushed tones while Grace and Michael took a seat at one of the tables.

‘I’ve got to get home, the kids are worried,’ Sean said. Then he turned to Grace. ‘I don’t care how you do it, but make sure that prick never comes anywhere near me or any of my family ever again.’ Then he downed his brandy in one before walking out of the pub.

Grace locked the doors behind him.

‘I’m going to go round there now and fucking end him,’ Michael growled.

‘No you’re not,’ she snapped.

‘What?’ he shouted. ‘This is my fucking dad we’re talking about here. My dad who could end up a fucking cabbage because of that cunt.’ He slammed his glass down onto the table.

‘I know he’s your dad, Michael. He’s like a dad to me too. Don’t you think I’m hurting as well? But we have to use our heads. Going off half-cocked is just going to get someone else hurt. Just leave it for now until I can figure out what to do. If we retaliate now, more people are just going to caught in the crossfire.’

‘I don’t fucking care,’ he growled, almost foaming at the mouth. ‘I’m going to kill him.’

She glared at him then. ‘I said leave it,’ she snapped.